NameCensus.

UK surname

Gan

A Chinese surname meaning "clean" or "pure," or referring to the ancient state of Gan.

In the 1881 census there were 38 people recorded with the Gan surname, ranking it #28,285 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 334, ranked #13,640, up from #28,285 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Camden, Westminster and Barnet.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gan is 334 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 778.9%.

1881 census count

38

Ranked #28,285

Modern count

334

2016, ranked #13,640

Peak year

2016

334 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gan had 38 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,285 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 334 in 2016, ranked #13,640.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 38 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Gan surname distribution map

The map shows where the Gan surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Gan surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Gan over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 14 #30,790
1881 historical 38 #28,285
1891 historical 1 #34,674
1901 historical 26 #31,152
1997 modern 155 #20,684
1998 modern 154 #21,316
1999 modern 176 #19,722
2000 modern 178 #19,570
2001 modern 162 #20,460
2002 modern 173 #20,043
2003 modern 171 #19,953
2004 modern 185 #19,114
2005 modern 197 #18,339
2006 modern 202 #18,160
2007 modern 220 #17,377
2008 modern 218 #17,638
2009 modern 232 #17,293
2010 modern 261 #16,294
2011 modern 250 #16,637
2012 modern 289 #14,875
2013 modern 310 #14,403
2014 modern 320 #14,181
2015 modern 319 #14,118
2016 modern 334 #13,640

Geography

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Where Gans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Camden, Westminster, Barnet and Coventry. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Camden 025 Camden
2 Westminster 005 Westminster
3 Barnet 030 Barnet
4 Camden 014 Camden
5 Coventry 042 Coventry

Forenames

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First names often paired with Gan

These lists show first names that appear often with the Gan surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Gan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gan, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Gan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Gan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Gan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gan is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gan falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

This describes the area pattern most associated with Gan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gan

The surname GAN originated in China and dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is believed to have derived from the Chinese word "gan" which means "dried" or "arid". The earliest recorded examples of the surname can be found in historical records from the Tang Dynasty, where it was often used to describe people who lived in dry, arid regions of China.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the surname GAN became more widespread and was associated with several notable scholars and officials. One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Gan Ying, a diplomat and explorer who lived during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD). Gan Ying is known for his exploration of the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and his accounts of the regions he visited were influential in promoting trade and cultural exchange between China and the West.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the surname GAN was particularly prominent in the province of Zhejiang, where it was associated with several prominent families. One notable individual from this period was Gan Huaizhen (1525-1604), a Confucian scholar and educator who played a significant role in reviving traditional Chinese education and promoting the study of the Confucian classics.

Another notable figure with the surname GAN was Gan Bao (286-336 AD), a writer and historian who compiled the "Soushen Ji" (In Search of the Supernatural), a collection of stories and legends about supernatural events and beings. This work became an important source for understanding Chinese folklore and mythology.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the surname GAN continued to be associated with scholars and officials. One notable individual from this period was Gan Qi (1758-1835), a scholar and official who served as a tutor to the Qing imperial family and played a significant role in the compilation of the "Siku Quanshu" (Complete Library of the Four Treasuries), a massive collection of Chinese literary works.

Throughout its history, the surname GAN has also been associated with several place names in China, such as Ganzhou (a city in Jiangxi province), Gansu (a province in northwestern China), and Gannan (a region in Sichuan province). These place names often derived from the same linguistic root as the surname, reflecting the arid or dry nature of the regions they were located in.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Gan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gan surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Durham leads with 11 Gans recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.48x.

County Total Index
Durham 11 9.48x
Lancashire 10 2.16x
Northumberland 6 10.34x
Argyllshire 5 46.04x
Surrey 4 2.10x
Aberdeenshire 1 2.77x
Angus 1 2.77x
Devon 1 1.23x
Hampshire 1 1.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Crook Billy Row in Durham leads with 11 Gans recorded in 1881 and an index of 738.26x.

Place Total Index
Crook Billy Row 11 738.26x
Alnwick 6 600.00x
Manchester 6 28.83x
Dunoon 5 2272.73x
Rotherhithe 4 82.99x
Thornton In Fylde 3 297.03x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 14.79x
Cockington 1 2000.00x
Everton 1 6.78x
Lymington 1 169.49x
Mains 1 322.58x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Gan surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Cath. 2
Elizabeth 2
Jane 2
Margaret 2
Mary 2
Barbara 1
Catharine 1
Elfride 1
Eliz. 1
Frances 1
Maria 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Gan surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 3
Burnit 2
John 2
Andras 1
Dixon 1
Gottfred 1
Gottfried 1
Joe 1
Joseph 1
Pat. 1
Peter 1
Timothy 1
Tom 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Gan households.

FAQ

Gan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 38 people were recorded with the Gan surname. That placed it at #28,285 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 334 in 2016. That gives Gan a modern rank of #13,640.

What does the Gan surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "clean" or "pure," or referring to the ancient state of Gan.

What does the Gan map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gan bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.